Improvement in key-rings



J. S. BIRCH. Key-Rings.

No. 196,418. Patented Oct. 23, I877.

UNITED STATES .ATEN'JL" QFFIGE.

JOHN s. BIRCH, oE ORANGE, NEW JEEsEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN KEY-RINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,418, dated October 23, 1877; application'filed I February 2, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN S. BIRCH, of Orange,Essex county, and State of New J ersey, h ve invented an Improved Key-Ring, of which the following is a specification My improvement inkey-rings consists of an outwardly-projecting bend or loop of one side or part of the ring, forming a contracted portion, in which the ring of the key can be held better by the thumb and finger when using it in the lock than it can be on the ordinary round or circular ring, which prevents them from closing on the key as much as is desirable; and it also consists of the jointfor opening, to apply and remove the keys, arranged in an inward bend of the ring, in such manner as to open by pressing the ring together, and to be closed by the expansion or outward spring of the ring, which simplifies the construction and dispenses with a special fastening, and it also prevents the ring from being damaged by being opened too much, and the ends forming the joint are tongued and grooved to prevent lateral disconnection.

Figure l is a perspective view of my im proved keyring in closed position, and with a key in it. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the ring in open position.

Instead of the usual circular form, I propose to make an approximately circular ring, A, with an outward bend or loop, 13, in one side, to form an elongated contraction, as shown, in which to adjust the key while holding it between the thumb and finger for working the look, by which it is manifest that the key can be griped much better than when strung on the ordinary circular ring, which materially obstructs the griping of it.

I make the opening for applying and removing the keys in one side of an inwardbend, D, and construct a lap of the ends, which opens by pressing the ring together, and locks against opening by spreading outward, which is more convenient to manipulate, and it secures the ring against damage by being spread open too wide. To secure the two ends against disconnecting by lateral movement, I make a tongue, E, on one part, and a notch or groove, F, in the other.

Besides dispensing with a special fastening device, this form of joint is of such character that it can be made by stamping or pressing the ends in dies.

This form of ring has the advantage of affording a given capacity for keys, with less breadth of cross-section than the ordinary form and it also permits of arranging, to better advantage than the round form, the opening for attaching and detaching the .keys in the inwardly-bent portion opposite the elongation, and in such mannerthat the opening is' effected by pressing or contracting the ring inward, which is preferable to opening outward.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A key-ring having a contracted outwardly-projecting bend or loop, 13, 'adapted to receive the ring of the key when working the lock, and also having an inward bend opposite thereto, in which the opening for attaching and detaching the keys is made, substantially as described.

2. A key-ring having the opening point in one side of an inward bend, D, and lapped, to open by pressing the ring together, and to prevent spreading the ring apart, substantially as described.

- JOHN S. BIRCH. Witnesses:

F. A. THAYER, WM. J. MORGAN. 

